Drying-room.



F. A. LIPPERT.

DRYING ROOM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, um.

Patented May 23,1916.

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F. A. LIPPERT.

DRYING ROOMi -APPL|CATION FILED NOV; 17. 1915. 1 183 889. Patented May 23,1916.

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FREDERICK A. LIPPER'I, or cincaeo, rumors, AssIGnoR ro'wn-N onNE-KARI'EN mama 00., or cm'ceeo, rumors, a conronarron or WEST DRYING-ROOM.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. LIP- PERT, a citizen of' the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, county specification.

This invention relates to drying rooms and particularly tothetype which is used for drying coatings of varnish, paint, etc.;,

on articles of manufacture. such as automobiles, or furniture, and exemplified by U. S. Patents No. 918,621, issued April'20, 1909, v

; to (1. A. Wenborne; and No. 1,055,359, issued March 11', 1913, to E. A. Rummler;

and Nos. 1,110,787 and 1,110,788, issued September 15, 1914, to Charles Hultgren.

Devices of this class, besides being usefulfor general drying purposes, are intended particularly for dryingor solidifying coatings of varnishes, etc., both by oxidation of such coatings, and by evaporation of volatile ingredients. These drying rooms usually operate by causing warm air to circulate around the objects being dried, through the action of suitably arranged heating and cooling devices.

The main objects of the invention are to provide improvements in the construction of drying rooms, and especially that class of drying rooms wherein circulation of the air is effected by'- natural draftpto provide a device of this class with improved means for moistening and washing the air which enters the room; to provide improved means for effecting the uniform circulation of air in the drying chamber and which permits of a definite control of the rate of dischargeand' renewal of the air; to provide an im proved arrangement of I fresh air inlet means; to provide an. improved arrange- -ment of the air cooling apparatus in such drying rooms; and in general to assemble and coordinate said improvements -'so as to provide a, refined construction which insures a high degree of efliciency of operation, a practically uniform circulation of airthroughout allparts of the drying chamber for effecting a uniform drying of articles therein, the recirculation of. the air to a proper extent to avoid unnecessary loss of heat, the renewal of the air at a proper rate to avoid accumulation of fumes which might interfere with the drying action, and the Specification of Letters Patent. P t t d y 23, 191 Application filed November 17, 1915. Serial No. 61,881.-

maintenance of a proper degree of humidity in the drying chamber to effect the rapid solidification of varnish without forming a SklIl on the outer surface ofa varnish coat An illustrative embodiment of this invention 1s shown in ings, in which! I Figure '1 showsv the improved drying room in perspective and partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View of the air washing and moistening device. Fig. 4 is a section on the line A.-A of Fig. 3. F ig. 5 is a fragmentary, transverse section of the drying room, showinga modified arrangement of the outlet flue. I

The drawings show a kiln having outer side walls 1, a ceilingor roof 2, and end walls 3, the latter being provided with doors so that articles may be passed progressively through the drying chamber or be putin and taken out at either end. An air moistening and washing device 4 may be placed the accompanying drawat eachcorner of the kiln, as-indicated inthekiln to a middle point along the upper.

edge of the sidewalls 1 and which is preferably of triangular cross section as. shown,

since in this form it' occupies a space which is otherwise useless or detrimental and its inner face serves as a properly located. deflector for the air rising from the heating flue or chamber. The conduits 6' have a plurality of outlets 7 which are located at successi'v'ely difierent heights from the floor of the kiln. The lowest outlet 7 in the conduit 6 is located at the greatest distance from' .the i'nlet'duct 5 and the highest outlet 7 being nearest the duct 5. By this arrangement of outlets 7, advantage is takenof the fact that the air entering the conduit6 is comparatively cool and tends to spread out .along the bottom thereof whereby some of the air flows past the nearby outlets 7 to the distant ones and all of thefloutlets discharge substantially equal-quantities of air.

In about the same horizontal plane as outlets 7 are aplurality of air cooling devices .8 which cause the air entering the drying chamber to fall. Heating coils 9 are located 'of the heating chambers.

between the side walls 1 and partitions 1O spaced from the side walls to form narrow heating chambers or flues. These preferably extend substantially from end to end of the drying chamber and have their bot- I tom edges spaced away from the floor of the kiln and their upper edges spaced away from the roof 2 in order to permit the air to flow in at the bottom and out at the top The cooling devices 8 rality of sectionsor coils of pipe through which water may circulate independently in each section from the header or manifold '11 and to the headers 12. The several coil linits are connected to the manifolds by unions 13 which permit any coil to be removed at will without disconnecting the entire system. Water is supplied to the header 11 through the feed pipe 14 and is discharged from the headers 12 through the discharge pipes 15 leading to the air moistening and washing devices 4.

The air moistening devices 4- comprise a casing 16 having a screened opening 17 for the entrance of air. V The pipes 15 entering "the washing devices terminate in downwardly directed nozzles18, each of which cooperates with a conical deflector 19 to form an umbrella shaped spray through whlch the air entering the-inlet 17 must pass before entering the vertical conduit 5. The airthus becomes moistened and washed before entering the kiln.' Solid matter carried by the air is carried out of the washing device with the water, which leaves the same through the pipe 20. The heaters 9 receive steam from the supply pipe 21, the supply being regulated by a pressure regulating valve 22, as well as by the usual hand valve not shown.

In order to provide asubstantially uniform heating efl'ect, throughout the length of the heating chamber, inlet and oiitlet manifolds are placed one above the other at one end and connected by a series of concentrically arranged U -shaped coils, each coil-having its legs connected respectively to the inlet and outlet manifolds.

To bring about a continual inflow of fresh an and outflow of used air, a plurality of air discharging flues 23 are provided. These extend upwardly'through the heating chambers and have their inlet ends 24 suitably spaced apart along the floor of the kiln to insure that the air is withdrawn uniformly from various parts of the kiln. The heaters are hung against the walls of th outlet flues 23, thus heating the air within and accelerating the draft, The flues 23 may be bent inwardly along the inner inclined facesv of the distributing ducts 6, and may then extend upwardly through the roof of the kiln and if desired may be connected together into a single duct, as indicated by consist of a pludotted lines at 25 at the left of Fig. 1. This of the building. Or the outlet ducts 23 may discharge directly through the side wall of the kiln, as is illustrated in Fig. 5. Either of these constructions is suitable. The doors 26 for entrance and egress are placed in one or both ends of the kiln.

Drip pans 27 are arranged under the cooling coils for collecting liquids condensed thereon and preventing the possibility of such liquids dripping upon the goods below, and the cooling coils are preferably made up of units each consisting of a plurality of pipes placed one above the other in the same vertical plane, so that a single drip pan may serve for the entire unit.

The operation of the device shown is as follows: In drying articles coated with paint desired temperature is reached the doors are opened and the trucks carrying the goods are put into the drying room. Regulation of the temperatures of the heating and. cooling coils may be controlled automatically or by hand as described in the patents hereinbefore mentioned. During the normal operation of the device the air in the heating chambers is heated by means of the heating coils 9 and-caused to rise, new air flowing in from the drying room below the partitions 12 to replace the air as it rises. The rising air is then deflected inward by the inclined inner faces of the distributing ducts 6, and on account of being warmer than the air in the drying chamber spreads out along the ceilingthereof, and then becoming cooled through contact with the cooling coils 8 falls through the drying chamber and again flows upwardly through the heating chambers at each side of the drying chamber. A portion of the air flowing toward each side at the bottom of the drying chamber enters the outlet flues 23, and is carried away thereby. The heating 'coils being in contact with the outlet flues give additional heat thereto, and increase the chimney efl'ect thereof. New air, to take the place of the spent air conducted away by the ducts 23, enters the init is cleaned and moistened, rises in the inlet ducts 5 and spreads out in the ducts 6 being delivered to the drying chamber throughout the length of the distributing ducts 6 by means of the outlets 7. The incoming air being cool, the air rising from the heating chambers mixes with the heated air and,

therefore, coacts with the cooling coils in chilling the heated air to cause it to fall through the drying chamber.

It will be readily understood that the heating chamber toward said drying chamber whereby the same will mix with the areas of the fresh air inlets *and the spent air outlets may be so proportioned as to continuously supply the proper amount of fresh airto properly condition the air in the drying room, or where circumstances require they may be provided with means for varying the fiow of air therethrough, as in the hereinbefore mentioned patents. It is, of

course, desirable to 'recirculate the air as much as is consistent withefiicient drying conditions,- so as to avoidunnecessary waste of heat through the discharge. of spent air,, The amount of replenishment of the air which may be desirable is largely dependent.

, oxidation.

upon the nature of the coatings which are being dried. Those which contain a large amount of volatile matter tend to contaminate the air more rapidly than those which" --consist mainly of ingredients which dry by If the kiln is communicate with the air within the buildinstalled in the interior of a building so that its air inlets and outlets and a roof, a partition spaced air from said openings, cooling means above said' drying chamber and in the path of the heated air, and an outlet flue communicating with said drying chamber near the bottom. e

3. A kiln, comprising surrounding walls,

and a roof, a partition spaced inwardly from one of said walls and providing communication between the interior of the kiln and the space between said wall and partition at its upper and lower ends, and an air inletconj duit arranged" above said partition in the.

cornervformed by said- Well and roof and having an'inclined face for" the purpose of deflecting air. which travels upwardly between said wall and partition toward the center of the kiln, said. conduit having a r plurality of openings distributed along its.

inclined face.

4. A kiln, comprising surround'mg walls from one of said walls and providing communication between the interior of'the kiln and the space between said wall and partii'ng, then the operation of the device is practically independent of changes in weatherconditions. On the other hand ifv the ,location of. the installation is such as to be to some extent influenced by Weather condi- ,tions, then variationsin such conditions may be easily offset by variation in the flow of water in the cooling coils, as is well known. Although but one specific embodiment of n this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerbottom, an airinlet duct extending along said drying chamber above said heating chamber and having a series of openings distributedmlong its length for supplying fresh air to said drying chamber, a wall-of said duct being shaped to deflect the air fromsaid heating chamber toward said drying chamber whereby the same .will mlx 'with the air from said openings, and an outlet flue communicating with said drying chamber near the bottom. r I

2- A kiln, comprising a drying chamber, a heating chamber at one side of same and communicating therewith at the top and bottom, an air inlet duct extending along said dryingchamber above said heating chamber and having a series of openings distributed I along its. length for supplying fresh air to said drying chamber, a .wall'ofsaid 'duct being shaped to .deflect the air from said tion at its upper and lower ends, and an air conduit arranged above said partition in' the corner formed .bysaid :wall and roof and having an inclined faceffor the purpose of deflecting air which travels upwardly between said' wall and partition toward the center of the kihl, said air'conduit having a plurality of openings in said inclined face arranged along the length \of said conduit but in different horizontal planes.

5. A kiln, comprising surrounding walls having an air inlet anddeflectors at their upper edges for directing upward currents of air toward the center of the kiln, parti- 'nwardly tionsspaced inwardly from said walls, said partitions having openings near their top and bottom, heating means between said partitions and walls, and a plurality of spaced and vertically arranged outlet fiues b tween said partitions and Walls, said outl t -flues being bent to follow the contourof saidv walls and deflectors.

'6. A kiln, comprising surrounding walls and a roof, a partition spaced inwardly from one of said walls andproviding communication between the interior of the kiln and the space between said wall and pantition at its upper and lower ends, and an air inlet conduit arranged'above said partition in the corner formed by said wall and roof and having an inclined face for the purpose of deflecting air which travels upwardly between said 'wall and partition toward the center of the kiln, said inlet "6on duit having a fresh air inlet and ha'ving in its inclined face a series of air cutlets located at diflerent levels, being successively lower as their distance frofwsmd lnlet 1ncreases.

7. A kiln, comprising a drying chamber, aheating chamber at one side of same and communicating therewith. at the top and bottom, an air inlet duct extending along said drying chamber above said heating chamber and having a series of openings distributed along its length for supplying 'freshair to said drying chamber, a wall from said heating chamber toward said drying chamber whereby the same will .mix with the air from said openings, :1 fresh air inlet communicating with said inlet conduit, and an air washer in the path of the infiowing air.

' '8. A kiln, comprising a dryin gihamber, 5a heating chamber at one side same and chamber and having a series of openings 4 distributed along its length for supplying fresh air to said drying chamber, a wall of 'said duct being shaped to deflect the air from said heating chamber toward said drying-chamber whereby the' same will mix with the air from said openings, cooling coils above said drying chamber and in the path of theheated air, a fresh air inletflue communicating with said inlet conduit, and

air, \said washer having water spraying cooling coils. r 9. A"v dry kiln, comprising a drying chamber, a heating chamber at 10118 side thereof and "communicating therewith at the top and bottom, heating means in said two ends of said heating chamber, indian airwasherin the path of the inflowing .'means connected tothe outlet end of said.

heating chamber, separate air inlets for the 'vidual distributing ducts communicating with said air inlets and respectively exof said duct being shaped to deflect the air communicating therewith at the tdp and I bottom, an air inlet duct extending along said drying chamber above said heating tending along the opposite end portions of said heating chamber above said heating means and having outlets at intervals along the length thereof, and outlet fiues communicating with said drying chamber near the bottom thereof and extending upwardly through said heating chamber.

10. A dry kiln, comprising a drying chamber, heating chambers at opposite let flues communicating with said drying chamber near the bottom thereofand extending upwardly through said heating chambers.

-11. A dry kiln, comprising a drying chamber, a heating chamber at one side thereof and communicating therewith at the top andbottom, heating means in 'said heating chamber, separate air inlets for the two ends of said heating chamber, indi: vidual distributing ducts communicating with said air inlets and respectively extending along thev opposite end portions of said heating chamber above said heating means and having outlet s at intervals along the ,length thereof, outlet flues communicating with said drying chamber near the bottom thereof and through said .heating chamber, and air washers in said air inlets.

extending upwardly Signed at Chicago, this 2nd day of Nov.

- FREDERICK A. LIPPEBT. 

